THE Braille Forum Vol. XXXVI December 1997 No. 6 Published By The American Council of the Blind THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND STRIVES TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. Paul Edwards, President Oral O. Miller, J.D., Executive Director Nolan Crabb, Editor Sharon Lovering, Editorial Assistant National Office: 1155 15th St. N.W. Suite 720 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 Fax: (202) 467-5085 THE BRAILLE FORUM is available in braille, large print, half- speed four-track cassette tape and computer disk. Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to: Nolan Crabb, THE BRAILLE FORUM, 1155 15th St. N.W., Suite 720, Washington, DC 20005. Submission deadlines are the first of the month. Those much-needed contributions, which are tax-deductible, can be sent to Patricia Beattie at the same address. If you wish to remember a relative or friend by sharing in the council's continuing work, the national office has printed cards available to acknowledge contributions made by loved ones in memory of deceased people. Anyone wishing to remember the American Council of the Blind in his/her Last Will and Testament may do so by including a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, you may contact the ACB National Office. For the latest in legislative and governmental news, call the "Washington Connection" toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 6 p.m. to midnight Eastern time Monday through Friday. Washington, D.C., residents only call 331-2876. Copyright 1997 American Council of the Blind TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Message: Bits And Pieces, by Paul Edwards Inaction By WMATA Spurs Silent Protest, by Sharon Lovering Report Of The Executive Director, by Oral O. Miller In Orlando, Fla., The Excitement Continues, by John A. Horst ACB Position Available: Director of Governmental Affairs A Willing Voice For Information Access, by Brian Charlson I Refuse To Go To Orlando, by Cynthia Towers ACB Expands On-line Presence, by Brian Charlson Ask The Advocates: About SSDI Earnings And Accessible Web Sites, by Mark Richert Affiliate News Here And There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon High Tech Swap Shop Year-end Legal Tidbits, by Charles S.P. Hodge CORRECTION The telephone number for the dog food delivery service known as Waggin' Tails ("ACB 1997 Convention Summary," October 1997) was incorrectly listed. The correct number is (800) 946-8245. ELECTRONIC JOB BANK UP The advocacy services staff at the ACB national office is proud to announce the establishment of a new, electronic Job Bank. The Job Bank is posted on the internet and contains job listings sent to ACB and other appropriate listings. This service is available now! To access the Job Bank, please contact our web site at http://www.acb.org, and then click on the ACB Job Bank link. Thank you, and good luck. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: BITS AND PIECES by Paul Edwards October and November have been very busy times for me. I attended the conventions of the North Carolina Council of the Blind, the Old Dominion Council of the Blind in Virginia, the Pennsylvania Council of the Blind, and the Missouri Council of the Blind. In addition I made an unscheduled stop in Wisconsin which you will read more about in a few minutes and attended the fall meeting of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB). While out in Seattle for that meeting, I was invited to dinner by the head of the access team at Microsoft and also was able to spend a very pleasant afternoon with many blind consumers in the state of Washington arranged for me by the Washington Council of the Blind. This week I was originally scheduled to be in Louisville, Ky. for the North American and Caribbean Region meeting of the World Blind Union which was to have been jointly sponsored by the American Council of the Blind and the American Printing House for the Blind. That meeting did not take place because of the illness of Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, President Emeritus of the National Federation of the Blind. Dr. Jernigan has been diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Currently he is not expected to live more than a year. I am genuinely saddened at this news. We may not always agree but he is a person whose intellect I greatly admire and whose commitment to the well-being of people who are blind cannot be questioned. I know that all of us in ACB send him our best wishes. I want to spend some time talking about my visit to Wisconsin and my meeting with NCSAB. The trip to Madison and Milwaukee was arranged very quickly because the crisis that developed came up fairly quickly. Without spending a lot of time, let me just say that one of the officials in state government there announced his intention to ask the legislature's permission to close down the Wisconsin School for the Blind in Janesville. Obviously, this would not be a good plan. We must preserve all the options that blind children now have. For some children, attendance at a residential school for the blind is unquestionably the best option, and the American Council of the Blind joins with virtually all organizations in this field to oppose any efforts that would limit the range of services that blind children could access. I was fortunate enough to attend a meeting of the Save Our School coalition in Madison and also took the opportunity of going to Milwaukee to meet with the board of our affiliate in the state, the Badger Association of the Blind. The situation in Wisconsin is a little more complex than this discussion suggests. The state is in the midst of meetings of a special task force to look at improving services to children who are blind in the state and the documentation setting up that task force clearly limited how much the role of the school could be discussed there. Some blindness organizations chose not to be represented on this task force though the Badger Association is a part of its deliberations. Some expressed concern that the Badger Association had taken a position that favored the closing of the school. This, in fact, is not the case. Here is what the statement released by the Badger Association says. "The Badger Association of the Blind, the Wisconsin affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, supports no funding cuts for blind education. Superintendent Benson should be asked to withdraw his recommendation from the State Legislature and study all options, including keeping WSVH open. In addition, the Badger Association of the Blind will actively participate in all efforts to strengthen and expand all education in local school districts." This is clearly not different from the positions taken by others on this issue! We are once more at the place though where organizations and people all over the country suddenly saw ACB as "soft" on the issue of schools for the blind. ACB wishes to assure those who are concerned that this organization and our state affiliates are absolutely committed to work with others to make certain that options available to blind children are strengthened and broadened, not eroded. All other things being equal, I will be coming back to Wisconsin to appear before the legislature during a special hearing that will be held on December 16th. Last week in Seattle, I had the opportunity to address the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind. I spent a good deal of time discussing all of the many activities in which ACB is engaged that assist agencies for the blind in providing good services to blind consumers. I want to include in my message to you a section of my speech that talks about changes that I believe need to be made in the way that vocational rehabilitation is handled. "Let me turn to some very specific issues. First, as we look ahead to rehab reauthorization, it is absolutely crucial that state agencies and consumer organizations work together to strengthen Section 508 of the act. We must not only assure that there are more ways to enforce the prohibitions against the adoption of unfriendly hardware and software at the federal level but must be sure that the applicability to states is extended beyond the year 1999. "We must find ways to cooperate in each and every state to assure that more funding is made available to serve older people who are losing their vision. Perhaps it will not be possible to substantially increase funding for serving this population through the Rehab Act reauthorization! The current budget shows an increase of almost a million dollars to 10.95 million which is certainly a step in the right direction. However, the need is both crucial and saleable and we must work together at the state level to seek to persuade legislators to provide state dollars for this purpose. "While the provision of separate service delivery models is a known area where NCSAB and ACB will continue to work together, we must not regard that as a sufficient goal! We must also work together to reform vocational rehabilitation so that it more efficiently and effectively meets the needs of people who are blind. In particular, I hope that state agencies will work with us to advocate for a substantial expansion of technological training. Whether this training is delivered through VR agencies, colleges or at school, without it blind people will simply not be placeable in the future without such training. We must put pressure on the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired to develop and implement standards for such training and, much more importantly, for the people who provide it. "All of us in the blindness field must also work together to assure that the operating systems and applications that are introduced are accessible to people who are blind. Our interests are the same! Blind people cannot be placed in jobs if they cannot access the technology those jobs require them to use! "Let us also work together to make informed choice a reality! But let's be sure that the choice is truly informed! Information should relate to outcomes and must be based on a clear and unbiased system of evaluating the success of service providers at meeting the needs of blind people! ACB remains absolutely committed to the belief that there must be specific and enforceable standards of service that are both blindness specific and outcome driven. "It's also absolutely necessary that agencies work with school systems to assure that transitional services make blind and visually impaired high school graduates more ready for the world they must face! Most agencies do a good job of training blind people to do the jobs for which they get hired! What causes blind people to be let go has little to do with whether they can do the job or not! It relates instead to how well they are able to understand and fit into the world of work! If we can use transitional services to broaden the understanding of the real world for young blind people, we will be heading in the right direction! Our effort at rehabilitation must be more holistic. We must focus not just on the job but on the ability of people who are blind to live effectively in the community and to have levels of self-esteem and ability to make good decisions that many do not have now. "At the heart of all that I am saying here is my belief that the ACB and NCSAB and all blindness agencies have a range of common purposes that we must continue to work on together! There is a real need for us to recognize and value our ability to work as true partners. This involves agencies working with us on our issues as well as expecting us to work with them on theirs. It also involves developing a whole new set of values about who we are and what we do! Over the next little while, we must work to rethink about how we can best defend separate services! We cannot expect that the next reauthorization will be as easy as this one appears to have been. At the beginning of this rehab process, there were a number of organizations that were proposing changes that would have seriously affected services to blind people! None of those have found their way into the current package. That is a tribute to our strength as partners and to our ability to work together for the common good!" I hope that the members of the American Council of the Blind will look hard at this rehab agenda and join at the state level to encourage our state directors to work on these issues with us. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving and a time when I will just be able to relax for a few hours. This schedule and a full-time job makes Paul a busy president! May your holiday season be as restful and joyous as I intend mine to be and may Santa leave more than just coal in your stockings! CAPTION ACB President Paul Edwards attended a meeting at the White House on September 10 to discuss disability-related issues such as employment. Edwards is seated at a table with Disability Advocate Becky Ogle to his left, and President Bill Clinton to her left. Photo copyright 1997 by the White House. ***** INACTION BY WMATA SPURS SILENT PROTEST by Sharon Lovering WASHINGTON, November 13, 1997 þ A group of nearly 20 blind and visually impaired people held a silent protest at today's board meeting of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Holding signs stating such things as "Granite Is For Gravestones," "Stop Killing Blind People," "No More Transit Deaths," and "Access and Safety Now," protesters stood throughout the meeting, until it went into executive session to discuss safety and personnel matters. The purpose of the demonstration was "to try to raise awareness of Metro's refusal to comply and to hopefully influence their decision," said Bud Keith, a member of the Coalition for Transit Safety. "We wanted to get some more press coverage and I think in that regard we succeeded." As far as the executive session, Keith stated that while protesters were outside, the board was in a secret meeting making the decision. "I think it's chicken. I think it's cowardly. And for elected public officials, I think it's unethical." He thought the matter should have been discussed publicly. "I still don't think we're getting to the WMATA decision makers because they refuse to engage in dialogue," he said. He was not hopeful that things would change once there was dialogue. He believed that at its next meeting, the board would have already made the decision, and it would make the recommendation to the Federal Transit Administration. Blind riders would have to wait and see if FTA agreed with the new proposal, which would be to install 24-inch terra cotta colored ceramic tiles 18 inches from the edge, off the granite. And if Metro doesn't comply, "Well, right now it's in the courts. We'll have to see what the judge says." While the meeting went on, some protesters attempting to bring in an empty coffin were stuck outside. Security at WMATA headquarters would not let them bring it in. ACB member Roseann Ashby told the security guard that he was welcome to inspect it if he liked, but he declined. The coffin was intended as a reminder that over the years, three blind people have died in accidents on the system; more than 30 visually impaired people have fallen. The most recent incident occurred on October 28, when Robert V. Brown fell between two rail cars to the tracks at the Silver Spring, Md., station. When the train started to roll, it crushed and killed Brown. "Other subway systems, such as the New York City Transit Authority, have made their systems safer for everyone by installing detectable warning strips along the platform edge, and by providing bars or gates between cars," said Scott Marshall, vice president of governmental relations for the American Foundation for the Blind, in a letter to the editor which appeared in "The Washington Post" on November 14. "Advocates for people who are blind have urged Metro for years to install detectable warning strips, use between-car protection devices and raise the illumination in stations to assist those with low vision. For the most part, Metro has long delayed implementing any of these common-sense safety features, preferring instead to spend millions of dollars on research, ineffective solutions and attorneys' fees. How many more deaths or injuries will it take for Metro to understand that safety for everyone must come first?" At its meeting November 20, the board approved a resolution recommending the installation of detectable warnings at key stations, and as money becomes available, in all stations. The board also approved WMATA's second request for equivalent facilitation. Stay tuned! ***** REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR by Oral O. Miller Just as runners in a race usually call upon their last bit of energy for that last-minute sprint to the finish line, Congress usually does something similar in the late fall as it frantically tries to approve the appropriations for many government departments, come to some sort of closure on controversial legislation that has been debated for the past several months and rush home to spend a few weeks meeting with constituents and preparing for the next session. Because of this reality, many governmental issues come to life, demand enormous attention (to the exclusion of most other things) and are settled in some way in a very short period of time. Not surprisingly, this process often forces other schedules to move up to the same pace. Because it is possible for issues of far-reaching importance to be hidden in the last-minute avalanche of legislative activity, it is necessary to be doubly diligent during this time, as ACB personnel and members were in beating back such attacks as the Gorton amendment. That proposal, if enacted into law, would have essentially obliterated the rehabilitation system through block grants to local districts. Likewise, another amendment, if not beaten back, would have eliminated the priority given to licensed managers of vending facilities on many Department of Veterans Affairs properties. As for the array of other important matters that had to be handled simultaneously with the legislative avalanche, consider the time given by ACB staff to participating in a program for the training of Amtrak employees regarding service to blind passengers, the national conference of Social Security representatives, briefings about further implementation of the Air Carriers Access Act, consideration of Social Security and Medicare changes, the first meeting of the ACB Resource Development Committee, consumer advisory functions conducted by American Airlines and Motorola Corporation, the annual meeting of the American Printing House, the 1997 Discovery Low Vision Conference, the First International Gathering of Blind and Visually Impaired Lawyers, the celebration by the U.S. Labor Department of Hire the Handicapped Month, participation in a public hearing conducted by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority regarding the installation of detectable warnings on platform edges, preparation of the annual fund- raising letter and scholarship materials for 1998, activities of Human Service Charities of America, consultations with technicians regarding the development of a user-friendly digital talking book player, strategizing with the Information Access Committee about inaccessible graphics, further consultation with Protection and Advocacy Service officials and others concerning voter access and briefings by the Department of Education, among other things. Since the fall is a very popular time for state affiliate conventions, ACB officers, board members and staff members were pleased to take part in a number of conventions þ e.g., vice president Steve Speicher in South Carolina and Illinois, vice president Brian Charlson in Tennessee, board member M.J. Schmitt in South Dakota and Nevada, advocacy director Mark Richert in New York, Florida, Maryland and Nevada, BOP member Kim Charlson in Oregon, board member Pam Shaw in New Jersey, editor Nolan Crabb in Connecticut, past president LeRoy Saunders in Hawaii with the Aloha Council, treasurer Patricia Beattie in Kentucky, governmental affairs director Julie Carroll in Ohio, and ACB president Paul Edwards in Pennsylvania, Virginia with the Old Dominion Council, Missouri, North Carolina, Kansas and Georgia. ACB meets Finnish Federation Recently I devoted a few days of annual leave to a quick trip to Finland in my voluntary capacity as an officer of the U.S. Association for Blind Athletes to participate in a training workshop and demonstration event intended to develop more international sports opportunities for blind and visually impaired people. While there I had an opportunity to make many networking contacts for the American Council of the Blind while observing the impressive national headquarters and training center of the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired and learning more about the education and rehabilitation of blind and visually impaired people in a nation known for its comprehensive and generous social welfare system. I was, indeed, impressed by the array of direct and indirect services provided at the center and directed nationally therefrom. I had the pleasure of meeting one entire morning with the top staff of the center to discuss the service delivery systems for the blind in the USA and Finland. While there is not space here even to summarize the various programs there, a few highlights may be interesting. For example, a significant part of the funding received by the FFVI and other non-profit organizations comes from a large pool created from the earnings of a nationwide network of slot machines. There was such a machine, for example, in the lobby of the rehabilitation center where the seminar was conducted as well as one in the lobby of the hotel where we stayed one night. Furthermore, the law in Finland requires physicians to report cases of legal blindness to a national registry, which is used in the formulation of programs and policies. One of the inventive programs at a large vocational training center included one which "hatches" small businesses operated by blind entrepreneurs. Under that program, the center trains the individual in a variety of fields (such as bicycle mechanics or upholstering), provides him or her with free space on the premises for a year in which to establish and operate the business, provides technical and business advice during that period and then assists the entrepreneur to move the established business to a suitable location. While it may surprise some people that Finland is considered to be the "most wired nation in the world" for computer and telecommunications purposes, that is easier to believe when coupled with the fact that it is the home of the Nokia company, one of the largest manufacturers of telephone equipment in the world. I thank everyone connected with the Finnish Federation (and especially my friend of many years, Secretary General Arvo Karvinen) for the wonderful hospitality we received while there and for the invaluable exchange of information we enjoyed. Fund-raising appeal By this time all readers of "The Braille Forum" should have received ACB's only fund-raising appeal of the year. We do not expect anyone to give more than he or she can afford; we are simply asking everyone to make at least a small donation to help pay for such valuable services as "The Braille Forum," which costs approximately $20 for sending the braille edition to one person. Staff changes I am pleased to welcome ACB's newest staff member, Ms. Cynthia (Cindy) Lovering, to the ACB national office as the Administrative Assistant for National Programs. Cindy is a 1997 graduate of Mary Washington College of Fredericksburg, Va., where she majored in business administration. During the summer between her freshman and sophomore years, she served as a voluntary intern in the national office and since then has assisted from time to time on various short-term assignments. In case her last name sounds familiar, she is the sister of editorial assistant Sharon Lovering. It is with genuine regret that I am announcing the resignation of ACB Director of Governmental Affairs Julie Carroll, who will leave ACB employment in January to accept an excellent position with the Paralyzed Veterans of America. During her three years with ACB, Julie has done an outstanding job of monitoring issues, analyzing them, formulating and implementing appropriate responses, anticipating issues, mobilizing support or responses and generally doing countless other things necessary to improve the well-being of blind people in this country. Her ability to deal with many issues simultaneously, an ability required of all national office staff members, has been truly impressive and we wish her the best of good fortune as she moves on to this next step in her career. She will continue to live and work in the Washington metropolitan area and she assures us that, although she will probably be working mainly on transportation issues in her new position, she will remain active as an ACB member and advocate. You may be sure we will call upon her for her invaluable assistance in the future. There is a notice elsewhere in this issue concerning our interest in receiving applications for this position. At this time all the members of the national staff wish you a wonderful holiday season and joyous new year! ***** IN ORLANDO, FLA., THE EXCITEMENT CONTINUES by John A. Horst, Convention Coordinator In Orlando, Fla., the excitement never ends! Once a small rural town known for sunshine and acres of surrounding citrus groves, Orlando today is known around the world as the one place to visit. Famous for its unequaled collection of commercial attractions, the area is also home to an impressive variety of natural attractions. The excitement began in 1936 with the opening of Cypress Gardens. This was followed by the opening of Gatorland in 1949 and Busch Gardens in 1966. The Kennedy Space Center's Space Port USA added the fascination of the space program to Cape Canaveral. Then in 1971 Disney World opened its Magic Kingdom. Today the Walt Disney World Resort includes Epcot Center and Disney/MGM Studios' theme park. Sea World and Churchstreet Station opened in 1973, followed by water parks, a dinner theater and many other attractions. Universal Studios opened in 1990 and is home to spectacular thrill rides, shows and the largest working television and movie production studio outside of Hollywood. The newest attraction is Splendid China, which presents 60 Chinese landmarks, each handcrafted in authentic detail. Tours to many of these attractions will be available during the 1998 convention. Orlando, Fla. is the place where the 1998 convention of the American Council of the Blind will be held. The dates are Saturday, July 4 to Saturday, July 11. The Clarion Plaza is the lead hotel, where all convention activities will take place. Rates are $55 per night (plus tax) for up to four people per room. Call (800) 366-9700. The overflow hotel is the Quality Inn Plaza located about two blocks from the Clarion. Rates at this hotel are $51 per night (plus tax) for up to four people per room. Call (407) 345-8585. Affiliate presidents meeting The ACB affiliate presidents meeting will take place at the Clarion beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, February 14, 1998 and continue through Sunday noon. The ACB board of directors will meet Sunday afternoon at 1 and continue through Monday noon. Some committees and special-interest affiliate boards will also meet that weekend. Convention rates will apply. The cut-off date for hotel reservations for the February meetings is January 13, 1998. Reservations requested after that date will only be provided if rooms are available and they may be at a higher rate. Transportation from the airport Van transportation from the Orlando International Airport to the Clarion is available from A-1 Bus Company, which has counters outside the baggage areas of American, Delta and United Airlines. Round-trip fare is $25. For more information, call (407) 843- 4843. Also, Transstar Airport Shuttle and Town and Country company vans are available at the same $25 cost. For more information, call Transstar at (407) 856-7777 or Town and Country at (407) 828-3035. Reservations If you have made convention reservations at the Clarion for yourself or for a group and for some reason you or some of your group's members cannot attend, please be certain to cancel your reservations promptly so that rooms are not left vacant at convention time. We are looking forward to a fabulous convention in 1998! ***** ACB POSITION AVAILABLE: Director of Governmental Affairs The American Council of the Blind is looking for an individual with a background in legislative/advocacy/civil rights work for a non-profit organization, preferably dealing with disability concerns. Well-developed writing and verbal skills are essential. Primary responsibilities include: promoting and developing ACB programs involving governmental action; advocating changes in existing law; conveying ACB's position on pending legislative and administrative proposals; maintaining cooperative relationships with other organizations which have similar objectives; providing advice and technical assistance to affiliates and to blind individuals; keeping the membership informed about legislative developments; recommending actions to be taken and policies to be adopted by the council; and performing other related work as assigned. A reasonable amount of travel is required. Applicants should have a general familiarity with the public interest community and a commitment to progressive social and economic reform. Minimum qualifications: two years experience, J.D. optional. Send resumes, including salary history and requirements, by January 15, 1998, to: Oral O. Miller, Executive Director, American Council of the Blind, 1155 15th St. NW, Suite 720, Washington, D.C. 20005. ***** A WILLING VOICE FOR INFORMATION ACCESS by Brian Charlson When I was growing up, information access for me meant finding a volunteer braille transcriber to put my textbooks into a format I could read independently. At home it meant getting my family to describe what was happening on the TV screen, and when riding my bicycle with my brothers and sisters, getting them to tell me when to turn left, "I said LEFT!" Now as an adult, information access has taken on new meaning for me. I need access to digital information stored in a computer or on the Internet and retrievable upon demand. From the days of the Apple IIe computer until today with Windows 95 based PCs, access has gone high tech and we as blind or visually impaired people need to be able to move with it. As background, in the early '90s blind and visually impaired computer users were concerned about being left behind when Microsoft introduced the Windows operating system. Access developers were eventually able to create products that could provide access to this graphical user interface (GUI). However, the level of access varied from program to program and from access product to access product. Since there was a time delay during which computers were just as likely to be operating under DOS applications as Windows, a case could be made by an employer that continuing to allow the blind or visually impaired employee to use DOS if necessary was a reasonable accommodation. With the introduction of Windows 95, the use of DOS became a much harder sell as an accommodation. Few employers were willing to allow a blind or visually impaired employee to use an operating system that was two generations out of date. In addition, applications such as word processors, database managers and spreadsheets that were written for the Windows 95 operating system frequently used unconventional controls such as non- standard check boxes, list boxes and push buttons. Moreover, developers of application programs could even avoid using standard buttons and lists altogether. When Microsoft began to make serious headway into government purchasing of Windows 95, the leadership of the American Council of the Blind and other organizations said enough is enough. ACB called upon state governments to refuse to purchase Windows 95 and Windows 95 applications until Microsoft made clear progress in making Windows-based products more accessible to blind and visually impaired people. With the help of Massachusetts and Missouri, advocates were able to get Microsoft's attention and the corporation agreed to make access one of its top-level priorities. Microsoft expanded its accessibility team and further agreed to work with third-party access developers to make Windows 95 significantly easier for access developers to write the programs that allow for the use of speech, large print and refreshable braille displays. A major part of Microsoft's commitment was tied to the development and implementation of a programming scheme called Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA). This set of programming rules and resources allowed mainstream application developers to write their programs in such a way as to expose what was happening on the screen so that the access developers would not have to guess what controls were being used and how they worked. While Microsoft did develop MSAA, its implementation by mainstream developers has been almost nonexistent. ACB and other leaders in the blind community, though concerned, knew that Microsoft had control of many of the most popular mainstream applications including Word, Excel, Access and Internet Explorer. If there wasn't quick acceptance of MSAA by other companies, it wouldn't take them long to jump on the MSAA bandwagon when they realized that Microsoft products were being purchased by government as a result of their accessibility by way of MSAA. Advocates overestimated Microsoft's level of commitment and the influence of Microsoft's Accessibility Team within the company. Initially, Microsoft incorporated MSAA into some of its products including Windows 95, Internet Explorer 3.2, and parts of Microsoft Office 97. Then things started to go wrong! In mid-1996, four organizations of and for the blind, the American Council of the Blind, the American Foundation for the Blind, National Industries for the Blind, and the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, joined together to establish the Information Access Task Force. The task force was charged with the coordination of the advocacy efforts of each of the parent organizations in promoting information access legislation, policy and regulation, as well as acting as their agent in negotiations with private companies such as Microsoft relating to the accessibility of its products. Shortly after the creation of the task force, I, as one of ACB's representatives, was elected as its chair. Arrangements were made with the Microsoft Accessibility Team to coordinate joint efforts to promote the use of MSAA among Windows application developers by making informational presentations at developer conferences. These presentations were to have included access developers such as GW Micro, Henter-Joyce and others. Blind consumers of these products were also to demonstrate how they used Windows-based applications and how well they worked when the application used MSAA and how poorly they worked without it. Microsoft was to provide the introduction to the developer conferences and much of the financial support as well as the technical expertise. After more than four months of unanswered letters, unreturned phone calls and e-mail, the task force was finally able to make contact with the member of the Microsoft Accessibility Team that had made the original commitment to enter into the cooperative agreement. She indicated that Microsoft had decided to use their "usual method of promotion" rather than those previously agreed upon. So much for cooperation with Microsoft! Microsoft claims to have promoted the use of MSAA both inside and outside the company. It has placed the supporting documentation on its developer tools CD-ROM, given it space on the Microsoft web site, accessibility team staff have spoken with the technical press on the value of using MSAA, and have made presentations at developer conferences. With all of this, however, a recent subject search of the literature on or including the words Microsoft Active Accessibility showed only two articles have found their way into the pages of the mainstream press. The inclusion of MSAA in Internet Explorer 3.2 was to be the "grand opening" of MSAA into a mainstream product which would significantly improve the accessibility of a widely used Windows- based application. While access developers fell short in their use of MSAA, MSAA did provide much of the promised ease of access. Imagine the surprise of the blind community when Microsoft released Internet Explorer 4.0 in late September 1997 without using MSAA. Once again, Microsoft had made a commitment it was either unwilling or unable to keep. Phone calls, letters and e-mail bombarded Microsoft and due to the timing of these efforts, I, as the chair of the Information Access Task Force, was able to meet with members of the Microsoft Accessibility Team at the 1997 Closing The Gap conference in Minneapolis, Minn. on October 23. On behalf of the task force and its member organizations, I told them of our feeling of betrayal, of our disappointment over their failure to communicate with the blind community regarding the release of Internet Explorer 4.0 without MSAA and most important, what the Information Access Task Force intended to do about it. I indicated that it was the intent of the Information Access Task Force to call upon state and local governments, especially those with Tech Access projects, to freeze their purchase of Microsoft Windows-based applications including any new operating systems such as Windows NT and the upcoming Windows 98. Microsoft would need to quickly demonstrate that its public commitment to accessibility for blind and visually impaired computer users was more than just a public relations ploy. Advocates insisted that Internet Explorer 4.0 be re-released with MSAA within 90 days; future releases of Microsoft Office will include extensive implementation of MSAA; and that Microsoft will make accessibility a corporate mandate. Microsoft then had 30 days to take action on these issues or the Information Access Task Force would be compelled to take action of its own. Even before I returned home from Minnesota, Microsoft representatives were already on the phone requesting clarification on the points I had made in our meeting. In addition, the American Foundation for the Blind, another member of the task force, had received a request from Microsoft to arrange a conference call with AFB staff and other advocates to discuss issues of accessibility of Microsoft products. During another conference call, members of the Microsoft Office Team spoke with members of the blind community about the future accessibility of Microsoft Office. In mid-November, a dinner was hosted in Seattle, Wash., by Microsoft to meet with Charles Crawford, President of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind, a new member of the task force, ACB President Paul Edwards, AFB Governmental Relations Vice President Scott Marshall and others to discuss the adoption of a corporate accessibility commitment. As part of the discussion, the Information Access Task Force developed the following list of 10 specific recommendations regarding Microsoft and the accessibility of its products. While these items are intended to give Microsoft a clear understanding of the primary concerns of advocates, additional concerns will no doubt arise as software continues to change. 1. Although Microsoft has established a laudable corporate policy on access for people with disabilities, there is no clear authority nor are their measurable outcomes connected to this policy. Accordingly, we believe it is necessary to: a) implement and enforce a comprehensive and meaningful corporate policy on accessibility, including goals, objectives and timelines; and, b) assign responsibility to a top official who can deploy resources and ensure that decisions affecting accessibility are given high priority. 2. Microsoft must also ensure that the following short-term accessibility goals are met: a) full implementation of MSAA, along with keyboard access to all features in Internet Explorer 4.0 to ensure full accessibility by December 1997; b) ensure that MSAA is part of the standard or typical installation of all future Microsoft operating systems, including Windows NT, CE and the successor to Windows 95 (with respect to Windows CE, we do not accept the shortsighted premise that the platforms and capacity of this equipment will not enable screen access alternatives); and, c) fully implement MSAA and ensure keyboard access to all features in the next release of Microsoft Office. (We have had discussions with members of the Office Team, and we appreciate their interest in talking with us. It is apparent that the age and complexity of many of the applications within Microsoft Office do complicate accessibility. However, Office is one of the most critical productivity tools on the market today and thus it deserves special emphasis. Because screen reader developers are focusing on MSAA, the development of a separate object model within Office for accessibility purposes would be resource- intensive, time-consuming and ultimately likely to fail. If an approach different from MSAA is chosen, it must be done with the acceptance of the screen reader developers on whom the blindness community depends for access and in a way that demands minimal resources from these understaffed developers.) 3. Overall, products that contain full keyboard access to all features and that rely on standard Windows classes or controls are superior for accessibility with screen readers and thus are preferred. In situations where custom classes, controls or methods must be used, access must be provided through a consistent method and MSAA appears to be accepted by most screen reader developers for this purpose. In any event, all future releases and upgrades of key Microsoft products beginning with business, reference, education and home productivity products must include full keyboard access for all functions and features, customizable display appearance, and access to screen elements through standard controls and classes or full implementation of MSAA. 4. While we are enthusiastic about the developments in speech recognition and text-to-speech, especially because these techniques are being pursued as a means of making computer products more usable for everyone, user feedback from people who are blind or visually impaired and screen reader developers will help to ensure that people with disabilities achieve much greater built-in access to mainstream computer technology. 5. Although we recognize that internal staffing decisions are best made by those closest to the needs of the organization, it is critical that the number of staff with responsibility for, and training in, accessibility be increased across Microsoft product lines, especially in key product areas such as Windows, Office, IE and education. 6. Ensure that Microsoft's developer tools meet the needs of individuals with disabilities as consumers and developers: a) Microsoft's developer tools must facilitate the development of third-party applications that are accessible through inclusion of MSAA, keyboard equivalents and other accessibility features; and, b) the tools themselves must be accessible to and usable by software developers who are blind or visually impaired through support for MSAA and other Microsoft access features. 7. Work with organizations representing the interests of people who are blind or visually impaired, to provide training about access needs and concerns to Microsoft staff across all product lines, including research staff. 8. Microsoft is in a position to substantially influence and increase the interest in accessibility of computer technology for people with disabilities. The following steps should be undertaken: a) Strengthen the accessibility provisions of the Windows logo program and make compliance and support of MSAA and other access features a mandatory requirement for any application seeking authentication as a Windows compliant application; b) Promote MSAA and other accessibility features through developer meetings, official corporate communications and speeches by top Microsoft officials. 9. Improve Microsoft's technical and other support provided to screen reader developers, including solicitation of feedback on accessibility issues and obstacles, comprehensive distribution of early releases of Microsoft products to screen reader developers and ongoing interaction between Microsoft staff and developers to address design problems. 10. Implement staff incentives such as providing bonuses to Microsoft employees who make significant contributions to a product's accessibility. The American Council of the Blind intends to continue to pressure Microsoft and any other hardware or software company that produces products that have the potential to either expand or limit the ability of blind or visually impaired people to fully participate in our society as workers, students and citizens. ACB will continue to do everything in its power to hold government to its commitment to access, as embodied in the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act and the Telecommunications Act. You as members and friends of the American Council of the Blind need to stay informed about these issues; be willing to stand beside those being negatively impacted by the current lack of full access, even if you yourself are not currently impacted; educate your elected officials with respect to the importance of information access; and encourage your friends to join with ACB and the other members of the Information Access Task Force if and when we call for a boycott of Microsoft or other companies' products. We only have a voice if we are willing to use it! ***** I REFUSE TO GO TO ORLANDO by Cynthia Towers Now that I have your attention, let me get to the real reason for this article. Several of you expressed to me at this past convention in Houston a desire that the membership be informed regarding the actions and activities surrounding each of the ACB board meetings. I cannot report on any of the proceedings until the minutes have been approved by your board of directors. This is why I am now only reporting on the July 1997 pre- and post-convention meetings. The fall board meeting was held this past September in Chicago. Its minutes will be ratified at the midyear meeting in February in Orlando, Fla. ACB President Paul Edwards and Executive Director Oral Miller have provided you with reports on their activities. Additionally, you have read reports from the convention coordinator and the director of governmental affairs. Therefore, in an effort to reduce redundancy, my task has been made quite easy. During the pre-convention board meeting, committee chairs reported on their progress thus far. In regard to the Long Range Plan, a leadership document has been completed and will be reviewed in the fall. The history committee continues to read, revise and write items which require more depth. The membership committee has drafted a convention survey, which many of us have received. Membership retention is a major focal point and a comprehensive survey revealed that this is an area on which the committee needs to focus much effort and attention. Further, full affiliate status was granted to the Virginia Association of the Blind. This creates a second affiliate in the state of Virginia. As we move forward into the computer age, it would appear as if there is no looking back. The American Council of the Blind recognizes that there are those who, for whatever reason, do not have access to even the most basic technological advances. In an effort to keep all of our members informed, ACB will continue to investigate other avenues to bring on-line services, such as the information job bank, into everyone's home or office. The board voted to donate $300 toward a braille project in Vietnam and $500 to a demographics and statistics project sponsored by the World Blind Union. At the post-convention board meeting one of the main topics of discussion was the use of unsupervised children as volunteers. This practice may prove to be a potentially dangerous situation for the children in particular, the ACB and the hotel in which the convention is being held. Therefore, ACB will only utilize volunteers ten years and older. Additionally, in future years the national office will be assuming a greater degree of responsibility for convention, including registration. There will be a transition year in which the Minneapolis office will begin the process of turning over all convention preparation functions to the Washington, D.C. office. One reason for this change is so that it can concentrate its full efforts on the ever growing ACBES (American Council of the Blind Enterprises and Services, Inc.). Here are some other highlights from that meeting. The multicultural affairs committee has expressed interest in becoming an affiliate; however, it will continue to operate as a committee until the formal documents have been submitted. In regard to reasonable accommodation, the ACB does not have a policy which enables it to pay for personal assistant services (PAS) for attendees. Should a scholarship awardee require a PAS, this may be provided for through the scholarship committee or via other means. The Proposed Policy on State and Special- Interest Groups Applying for Grants/Loans was formalized and a copy has appeared in a previous "Braille Forum." ACB may soon have a new logo. Plans are in the works to elicit the assistance of a graphic designer to provide preliminary sketches. We voted to provide up to $1,000 for this project. Caucuses need to be streamlined. Candidates who fail to attend a particular caucus may be perceived as uncaring towards that affiliate. In reality, it most likely is the logistics of getting from one place to another that is the prohibiting factor. For this reason, the president discussed his desire to discourage the membership from holding caucuses in private rooms. So there you have it. In writing this I felt a little like one of Elizabeth Taylor's husbands. I knew what to do, I just wasn't sure how interesting I'd be! I will be addressing you again following the midyear board meeting and the approval of the September 1997 minutes. Until then, have a great holiday season. ***** ACB EXPANDS ON-LINE PRESENCE by Brian Charlson The American Council of the Blind was quick to take advantage of the electronic communication revolution with its unveiling of ACB On-Line, the ACB Bulletin Board Service established in 1993. Through ACB On-Line, ACB members and friends could exchange messages, instantly download copies of ACB resolutions, get electronic copies of the ACB Constitution and Bylaws, the Americans with Disabilities Act, news releases and much more. This service attracted over 13,000 callers since its establishment. In 1995, ACB launched its web site on the Internet's World Wide Web. The Web is nothing more than a series of computers which store electronic documents which are linked together and easily accessed and searched by a computer user. ACB's web site located at http://www.acb.org includes links to general information on the Council, issues of "The Braille Forum," the text version of the Washington Connection and ACB's new Job Bank service. During 1997, monthly visits or "hits" to the ACB web site have averaged around 6,000, with the number growing monthly. While ACB On-Line and the ACB web site have provided an important means of disseminating information to our members and friends, most of this communication has been one-way. ACB On- Line has allowed for the exchange of messages between users; however, this ability has only been available by calling a Washington, D.C. phone number, making it expensive for those outside the 202 area code. In addition, ACB On-Line could only be accessed by one person at a time, limiting the number of calls that could be received during a 24-hour period. To improve electronic communication, ACB is pleased to announce the establishment of two new ACB sponsored mailing lists on the Internet. A mailing list, or listserv, distributes messages from one person to a group of others who share that person's interest. When one person sends a message, the mailing list or listserv computer keeps track of the addresses of the others in the group and sends copies of that one message to everyone. This allows for the quick dissemination of both information and ideas, and is intended to generate discussion. The first list, entitled ACB-ANNOUNCE, allows for the one- way dissemination of ACB-related information. Members of this list will receive in their e-mail news releases from the ACB national office, news of important events or issues from state or special-interest affiliates of ACB, legislative alerts and other announcements of general interest to those who are blind or visually impaired. The second list, known as ACB-L, is a two-way list allowing for both the receiving and sending of messages to the subscribers on the list. ACB-L list subscribers are encouraged to discuss topics and exchange information and ideas on issues of concern to members and friends of ACB. To subscribe and add your e-mail address to either of these lists, send an e-mail message to: majordomo@telepath.com. Leave the subject line empty, and in the body of the message type: subscribe listname your first name your last name and your e- mail address. A sample line would look like this. Substitute your own name and e-mail address for the one given here: subscribe acb-l Santa Claus subscribe acb-announce Santa Claus You can add yourself to either or both ACB-L and/or ACB-ANNOUNCE anytime. The American Council of the Blind will continue to expand and improve its on-line presence during the months to come. In addition to these new electronic mailing lists, we are working on a major restructuring of ACB's web site. Improvements include more available new documents, both those for on-line reading and for downloading; new graphics, including pictures from ACB conventions, and items from the ACB historical archives; Real Audio broadcasts of ACB events, "ACB Reports," and much more. In addition, ACB state and special-interest affiliates will soon be invited to establish web sites which link to or are part of ACB's web site as well. For now, get connected to ACB by joining one or more of these new electronic mailing lists. You may also want to send e-mail to members of the ACB board of directors. Just send your message to (first initial, last name)@acb.org. For example, to reach me, send your e-mail to: bcharlson@acb.org. Ladies and gentlemen, start your computers! ***** ASK THE ADVOCATES: About SSDI Earnings Limits and Accessible Web Sites by Mark Richert Preliminary Notes This month, we look at two very different issues. First, we discuss an issue that is very important to many ACB members and others, namely the new amount of monthly earnings allowed by the Social Security Administration to blind SSDI beneficiaries. Secondly, we shift gears a bit to look at possible requirements to make the Internet more accessible to people who are blind. As is always the case with this column, the questions raised are those which you have asked and that are most timely. I look forward to hearing from you about your suggestions for future columns. Please remember that the answers given to questions are not intended to be exhaustive. Rather, the answers are intended to be a summary of basic points to keep in mind. If you have additional questions, especially if they relate to circumstances you currently face, you are encouraged to contact the ACB national office. Now, on to SSDI and accessible Web sites. QUESTION: I am blind, and I have been getting Social Security benefits for some time. I've been working for the past six months and hope to continue working. I have heard that Social Security has just made some changes to the amount of money I am allowed to earn, but I'm not sure how those changes affect me. What are the changes all about? ANSWER: The first step is to figure out what kind of Social Security benefit you are receiving. The Social Security Administration (SSA) manages two distinct programs of concern, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI is essentially an insurance program like many others. You are eligible for SSDI if the premium has been paid for you. In the case of SSDI, the premium is the amount of money taken out of earnings to pay for the program. You can receive disability insurance on your own record or on the record of another, such as a retired parent. On the other hand, SSI is designed as an "income support" program and is not linked to a requirement to pay into the program. If you have questions about how to apply for either program or about general eligibility issues, please contact the national office. Although there are some similarities between the two programs, much of the rules are very different, especially as they relate to how much money you can earn and keep. For example, where SSI restricts the amount of resources to be eligible for benefits to $2,000 for individuals, there is no such requirement in SSDI. Millionaires can be eligible for SSDI. However, both SSI and SSDI place restrictions on the amount of money you can earn before your benefits are lost. The two programs accomplish this in very different ways. The changes you are concerned about affect those rules in the SSDI program relating to how much money that SSA will allow you to make. Starting in January of 1998, blind SSDI beneficiaries will be allowed to earn $1,050 per month before losing their benefits. This is an increase of $50 over the current amount. This restriction, known generally as the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level, governs the amount of money you can earn after you have completed a nine-month trial work period. After the trial work period, SSA will continue your benefits without restriction for an additional three-month grace period. During trial work and the three-month grace period, you are permitted to earn as much as you can. Therefore, since you have already worked during the last six months, you can work for another six months before the SGA level will have any practical significance for you. Now let me mention three specific points to remember. First, in order to count as a month of trial work, you must earn $200 or more in any month during the last five years. For example, if you worked for three months seven years ago and earned a substantial wage, those months are not part of your trial work period. Second, after trial work and the grace period have been completed, you remain eligible for benefits. However, during months in which you earn more than the SGA level, SSA will withhold your benefit checks, but your Medicare coverage will continue. This "Extended Period of Eligibility" lasts for three years. After that time, your benefits will be terminated when you earn above SGA. You do have the option to buy into Medicare when your benefits cease. Finally, the SGA level is not the only factor in determining how much money you are allowed to earn before your benefits are taken away. The SSDI program allows certain impairment-related work expenses that enable you to essentially keep more of the money you earn. These expenses, such as the cost of transportation to and from work or the cost of reader services, are taken into account by SSA in determining how much money you have actually earned. It is important to keep good documentation of such expenses, and your Social Security office can work with you to credit you with these expenses. If you have questions about this, don't hesitate to contact the national office. One final note. There are specific rules governing those who are self-employed and receiving SSDI. Additionally, SSI uses a dramatically different method for determining how much money recipients are allowed to earn. These matters, and many others, will be discussed in future installments of "Ask The Advocates" and will be part of an easy-to-understand guide to SSA's disability programs that ACB is putting together. If you have immediate questions about issues raised by this column or would like clarification about your benefits, you are welcome to contact the ACB national office. QUESTION: More and more businesses are using the Internet to advertise and showcase their products. So often, sites that these establishments maintain on the World Wide Web are not accessible to blind Internet users. I know that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) bars discrimination on the basis of disability and that there is a general requirement to offer access to information to visually impaired and blind people. Under the ADA, do Web sites need to be accessible? ANSWER: Probably, but it's not entirely clear. As a starting point, remember that, more often than not, there is no such thing as "the law." Congress enacts broadly written legislation designed to set boundaries. Federal agencies promulgate regulations that try to make the statutes pertain more specifically to particular circumstances. These same federal agencies also disseminate letters or other statements containing policy guidance that are supposed to clarify fine points of law, but these statements do not have the force of regulations. Individuals can often raise claims or complaints based on statutes and regulations at administrative hearings which may set limited precedent for the agency in question. Alternatively, cases can be brought in federal court to challenge the validity of law. A decision of a federal district court is appealed to the appropriate federal circuit court, and often the federal circuits are split as to the interpretation of law. This is only to say that the law can be a moving target. The ADA does say that the programs and services of state and local governments, as well as places of public accommodation, need to be accessible to people with disabilities. The ADA basically requires three things--nondiscrimination, effective communication and physical access. Ensuring effective communication can mean offering printed materials in alternative formats, such as Braille or large print. However, it can also mean providing access to the information by simply reading it to the individual. Although it is true that state and local government entities must give priority to the individual's preference of accommodation, generally speaking there is no mandate for the production of accessible formats in the ADA. Additionally, Title III of the ADA refers to places of public accommodation. A question to resolve is whether Internet sites can figure into the ADA Title III construct of "places" of public accommodation. It is true that progress in this area may be spurred along by last year's passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Provisions of that new law require that telecommunications equipment and services be made accessible to people with disabilities. However, the language of this new requirement needs to be more fully defined, and the Federal Communications Commission needs to promulgate rules implementing the statute þ action that ACB has been urging for some time. However, we do have some authority for the proposition that many Web sites need to be accessible. In a letter dated September 9, 1996, responding to a request from the office of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), the United States Department of Justice provided policy guidance concerning the necessity to make Web sites accessible to people who are blind. Although this document does not have the force of statutes or regulations, it does provide insight into the Department's position. The text of the Department's response follows: "I am responding to your letter on behalf of your constituent, ... regarding accessibility of 'web pages' on the Internet to people with disabilities. "The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires state and local governments and places of public accommodation to furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary to ensure effective communication with individuals with disabilities, unless doing so would result in a fundamental alteration to the program or service or in an undue burden. 28 C.F.R.  36.303; 28 C.F.R.  35.160. Auxiliary aids include taped texts, Brailled materials, large print materials, and other methods of making visually delivered materials available to people with vision impairments. "Covered entities under the ADA are required to provide effective communication, regardless of whether they generally communicate through print media, audio media, or computerized media such as the Internet. Covered entities that use the Internet for communications regarding their programs, goods or services must be prepared to offer those communications through accessible means as well. "Mr. [name omitted] suggests compatibility with the Lynx browser as a means of assuring accessibility of the Internet. Lynx is, however, only one of many available options. Other examples include providing the web page information in text format, rather than exclusively in graphic format. Such text is accessible to screen reading devices used by people with visual impairments. Instead of providing full accessibility through the Internet directly, covered entities may also offer other alternate accessible formats, such as Braille, large print, and/or audio materials, to communicate the information contained in web pages to people with visual impairments. The availability of such materials should be noted in a text (i.e. screen-readable) format on the web page, along with instructions for obtaining the materials, so that people with disabilities using the Internet will know how to obtain the accessible formats. "The Internet is an excellent source of information and, of course, people with disabilities should have access to it as effectively as people without disabilities. A number of web sites provide information about accessibility of web pages, including information about new developments and guidelines for development of accessible web pages. Examples include: http://www.gsa.gov/coca/wwwcode.htm Center for Information Technology Accommodation General Services Administration http://www.trace.wisc.edu/text/guidelns Trace Center, University of Wisconsin http://www.webable.com/index.html http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/dmd/access/welcomi.htm "These sites may be useful to you or your constituent in exploring the accessibility options on the Internet. In addition, the Department of Justice has established an ADA home page to educate people about their rights and responsibilities under the ADA and about the Department's efforts to implement the ADA. The address of the ADA home page is http://www.usdoj- gov/crt/ada/adahomi.htm. "I hope this information is helpful to you in responding to your constituent. Deval L. Patrick, Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division" ***** AFFILIATE NEWS SOUTH DAKOTA HONORS AUCH by M.J. Schmitt It was my privilege to represent ACB at the 1997 convention of the South Dakota Association of the Blind. The hospitality was outstanding as always. A life membership purchased by an anonymous donor was presented by Charlie Hodge to Arnold Auch. Program items indicated emphasis by the South Dakota agency on updated technology with in-depth training. The diversified program covered all aspects of problems facing the blind and visually impaired population. SDAB took diversification to a new dimension when, during the banquet, shortly before it was time for me to make my speech, we were evacuated to the safest part of the hotel because of a tornado warning. We remained there for about 45 minutes, after which we returned to business as usual. Such interruptions may be normal for South Dakotans, but for me it shall remain a truly memorable experience. NEW FACILITY The Badger Association of the Blind has a new facility called the Stephen and Nina Hopkins Daily Living Skills Center. It's set to provide rehabilitation services to adults who are blind or visually impaired. The center is located in the Greilach House on the association's grounds. The grand opening occurred on November 6. Blind or visually impaired adults who want to learn daily living skills, or obtain vocational training, can now take classes at the Hopkins Center. The center will provide trainers in computer technology, braille, household maintenance, cooking, and other basic skills to any adult who has experienced sight loss. The staff includes a director of rehabilitation, two rehabilitation teachers, a rehabilitation counselor, an orientation and mobility instructor, a technology/computer specialist, a recreation director, two low-vision specialists, an optometrist, and several tutors and mentors. The Carl and Alma S. Greilach Fund, managed by the Milwaukee Foundation, will provide funds for the Greilach House as well as financial aid to those who have lost their sight and cannot pay for rehabilitation services. The center is named after Stephen and the late Nina Hopkins of Madison, whose blindness motivated them to donate their life savings to the Badger Association to help other people experiencing sight loss. IOWA SCHOLARS The Iowa Council of the United Blind recently awarded two scholarships. Timothy Cordes and Amy Severtsgaard are the winners. Cordes received a $1,500 check for the 1997-98 school year; Severtsgaard received $1,000. Timothy Cordes of Eldridge is a continuing student at Notre Dame University, and Amy Severtsgaard will be a freshman at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. NEWS FROM ALOHA COUNCIL The Aloha Council of the Blind held its convention at the Outrigger Kauai Beach Hotel on Saturday, October 25. LeRoy Saunders, ACB's past president, was the keynote speaker. Other guest speakers were: Jill Zauner, on astrology; Nathan Kalama, about "Life Experiences of a Native Hawaiian," and Dr. David Saldana, on wellness through exercise. Officers are: B.H. Jordan, president; Cynthia Hirakawa, vice president; Marie Belinti, secretary; and Sue Ono, treasurer. Board members include: Kyle Aihara, Joe Kuwamoto and Michiyo Yasuda. NEW YORK GETS NEW LAW On November 3, a new regulation went into effect requiring all taxis in New York City to have braille and raised print signs in the back seat. The braille sign is to be mounted on the arm rest of the right rear door and the large print sign on the rear of the right front passenger seat or on the partition. Each sign includes the taxi's medallion number on the first line, the word "complaints" on the second line, and the telephone number (212) 692-8294 (NYCTAXI) on the third line. Members of the Greater New York Council of the Blind and Guide Dog Users of New York worked with the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission to develop the specifications for the signs and testified on behalf of the regulation at public hearings conducted by the commission. On June 26, Mary Ellen Cronin, president of the Greater New York chapter, presented a certificate of appreciation to commission chair Diane McGrath- McKenchnie. For more information, call the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission at (212) 840-4520 or write the commission at 221 W. 41st St., New York, NY 10036-7208. The Greater New York chapter recently presented its Outstanding Community Service Award to Mark H. Leeds, an attorney and director of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities. He was honored for his record of service to the blind and visually impaired community of New York City, including his work to improve the accessibility of taxis and mass transportation. The ACB of New York will hold its annual legislative seminar at the Quality Inn in Albany, N.Y. from Saturday, February 28 to Monday, March 2, 1998. Room rates are $61 per night (plus tax) for a single room, $66 per night (plus tax) for a double room. Activities will include discussion of significant legislative issues, speakers and visits with members of the state legislature on Monday. For more information, call (800) 522- 3303. ***** HERE AND THERE by Elizabeth M. Lennon The announcement of new products and services in this column should not be considered an endorsement of those products and services by the American Council of the Blind, its staff or elected officials. Products and services are listed free of charge for the benefit of our readers. "The Braille Forum" cannot be responsible for the reliability of products or services mentioned. WANT CHOCOLATE? As many of you have noted, there are two companies providing blindness-related, specialized products, which we have run announcements for in past issues of "The Braille Forum." Both companies offer similar products. We encourage you to take note of both names and addresses to avoid any confusion concerning trade names and product names. The Chocolate Experience, 150-57 Bayside Ave., Flushing, N.Y. 11354; phone (800) 669-6665 or (718) 461-1873; e-mail chocomelt@aol.com, was first published in "The Braille Forum" in July 1994. Judy Geva, proprietor, and originator of Choco-Braille, offers 12 braille greeting cards and chocolate guide dogs. Chocolates Unlimited, 169-02 Crocheron Ave., Flushing, N.Y. 11358; phone (718) 359-4466; Terry Dambinaskas, proprietor, offers six kinds of braille greeting cards. The January 1996 issue of "The Braille Forum" first listed this information. NEW $50 BILL The U.S. Treasury Department recently released a new $50 bill incorporating a large, dark numeral against a light background on the back lower right hand corner. The size and color have not changed; the portrait of Ulysses S. Grant is somewhat larger than before. The new series notes contain features that provide security against counterfeiting as well. There will not be any recall or devaluation of the older-series notes, which will be removed from circulation as they are deposited with the Federal Reserve and replaced with the new series. The redesigned $20 bill will be issued next year. TOY GUIDE The 1997-1998 "Guide to Toys for Children Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired" is now available in print or on tape. It is a resource guide listing commercially available toys and games appropriate for children of all ages who are blind, have low vision, or have visual and other impairments, as well as for visually impaired adults who wish to participate in their sighted children's games. It features 85 new toys, with an emphasis on multimedia and interactive toys, in a wide price range. To receive a free copy, contact the American Foundation for the Blind, 11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001; phone (800) 232-5463, or Toy Manufacturers of America, 200 Fifth Ave., Room 740, New York, NY 10010. GIFT ITEMS Marie Herndon makes unique gift items from plastic canvas. All items may be personalized. Among her offerings are schoolhouse- shaped Kleenex box holders, magnets with sayings on them or animal shapes, slate and stylus holders, checkbook holders, and credit card holders. For more information, or a price list, write to her in braille, print or on tape at 234 Morton St., Gallatin, TN 37066. MACY FELLOWSHIP The Mississippi State University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision has an Anne Sullivan Macy fellowship available for a doctoral student interested in pursuing a career in rehabilitation research in the area of blindness or low vision. This fellowship is for $700 a month plus tuition beginning in August 1998. All applicants must be accepted into the rehabilitation counseling doctoral program in the department of counselor education and educational psychology at the university. The RRTC is especially interested in students who are blind or visually impaired and who would be interested in working at the center on a part-time basis while working on a doctorate full-time. Graduate school applications are due March 1. For more information, contact Dr. J. Elton Moore, RRTC on Blindness and Low Vision, P.O. Drawer 6189, Mississippi State, MS 39762; phone (601) 325-2001, fax (601) 325-8989, or e-mail jemoore@ra.msstate.edu. TOYS "R" US The fifth "Toys 'R' Us Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids" is now available. To get a copy, check at your local Toys "R" Us, or call (800) 732-3298. HOME READERS Home Readers offers holiday editions of print catalogs on cassette. Among their offerings are: "Foster and Smith," "Sheplers," "Sugarfree Marketplace," "Pop-n-stuff," "American Spoonfood," "Adventures in Cassettes," "Spices etc.," "Drysdales," "Avon," "Minds eye," "North Style," "Collectors Choice," "The Lighter Side," "FAO Schwarz," "San Francisco Music Box Co.," "Taylor Gifts," "Walter Drake," "Lands End," "Wireless," "Puritans Pride," "Swiss Colony," "Current," "L.L. Bean," and "Miles Kimball." Some catalogs are free; most you pay for. Contact Home Readers at (913) 893-6939 between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Central time weekdays, or write to the company at 604 W. Hulett, Edgerton, KS 66021. The web site address is http://www.qni.com/~homeread, or e-mail homeread@qni.com. AUDIO BIBLE Alexander Scourby was the first to record the Bible in the 1940s. Now the recording is available on the internet, along with a large print edition of the Bible. Go to http://www.audio- bible.com. This software is also available as commercial software. BIG MUSIC Stephens Development Company recently published a new music series for visually impaired people called "Large Print Music." It is distributed to music stores by the Hal Leonard Corporation, and is about two and a half times the size of regular music. The music reads straight across each two-page spread instead of up and down each page. Piano/vocal collections and sheet music are available, including "Classic Pop Standards," "The Good Old Songs," "Old-Fashioned Hits," "Favorite Hymns" and "Treasured Hymns," as well as "Classic Mozart," "Classical Chopin" and "Classical Bach." Separate pieces are also available, such as "Ave Maria," "The Entertainer," "Liebestraume," "Minuet in G," "Moonlight Sonata" and others. For more information, ask at your local music store, or contact Stephens Development Company, 3542 Fair Oaks Ln., Longboat Key, FL 34228; phone (941) 383-4398. WINGS AWARD June Morris, retired executive vice president of the American Printing House for the Blind, recently received the Wings of Freedom Award at the company's annual meeting. She was an employee of APH for 37 years who dedicated much of her time and expertise to the field of educational research for visually impaired students, according to a press release from APH. Morris was a consultant for several states adapting competency tests for braille and large print readers, and published several articles pertaining to educational research in the field of visual impairments. One of her accomplishments is the organization of the Kentucky chapter of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired; she also helped establish the Visually Impaired Preschool Services of Louisville. BILLS IN BRAILLE If you've ever wished for a credit card bill in braille, your wish has come true, at least if you hold a Sears charge card. To request your Sears credit card bill in braille, call (800) 733- 0815. NEW PRESIDENT Elizabeth "Liz" Carr is the new president of the Blinded Veterans Association. She was elected during BVA's convention in Reno. Carr is a Vietnam-era veteran of the United States Air Force. She suffered a severe head injury during a training exercise; this left her blind. She earned a bachelor's degree from CW Post College, and a double master's degree in public and health care administration from New York University. She became the first legally blind person ever hired by the New York State Education Department Office of Professional Discipline, where she has worked as an investigator since 1984. READING TECHNOLOGY The holidays are just around the corner. Know someone who wants a reading machine? From now until the end of January 1998, you can receive a free HP 5P scanner when you purchase a fully loaded Arkenclone system, which must include at least an Arkenclone computer, Doubletalk or DecTalk hardware synthesizer, and Open Book 3.5U software. This offer must accompany your order. Orders must be prepaid. Call (619) 685-7323 and send your order to Reading Technology, 9269 Mission Gorge Rd., Suite 108, Santee, CA 92071. AER MEMBERS Beginning in January 1998, the "Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness" will become a membership benefit for regular individual members of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, according to a press release from the American Foundation for the Blind. The five-year agreement between AER and AFB will give AER's members access to the research and news that is published each month in the magazine. BRAILLE TRANSCRIBED There's a new braille transcription service available. It costs $1 per interpoint braille page. Multiple copies cost less. For information, call Catherine Thomas at (718) 745-4343. DIABETICS The editors of "Diabetes Forecast" would like to hear from people with diabetes who have visual impairments. "Diabetes Forecast" grants permission to various organizations, such as the Library of Congress, to transcribe the magazine into braille, large print, or cassette formats. The editors are interested in hearing from you regarding the accessibility of these services, and whether you feel you are getting the information you need. Contact "Diabetes Forecast," 1660 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314. JCPENNEY AWARDED The National Organization on Disability recently awarded JCPenney the 1997 Corporate Citizenship Award for its commitment to people with disabilities, according to a press release from the organization. NOD President Alan A. Reich noted in his presentation that JCPenney's stores nationwide meet and in many cases exceed the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The company actively recruits and hires people with disabilities at all levels, and provides ongoing employee training to ensure that disabled customers receive the accommodations and assistance they need. JCPenney also publishes a special needs catalog and features people with disabilities in its national advertising campaigns. WORD TUTORIAL "Speaking of Microsoft Word" is an audio tutorial to help speech users learn Microsoft Word 6 and Word 8 from Office 97. It includes basic concepts, such as word wrap and default settings, moving around in text, selecting text, deleting text, using the clipboard, etc. It consists of six two-track tapes, and costs $75; add $3 for shipping. It is available from CrissCross Technologies, 110-64 Queens Blvd. #406, Forest Hills, NY 11375; phone (718) 268- 6988, or e-mail ivorycc@ix.netcom.com. HELP SERBIA The Municipality League of the Blind in Kosovo, Serbia, needs your help. It needs braille watches, white canes, tape recorders, braille writers and braille paper, slates and styli, and other equipment. Other donations, such as shoes or money to purchase these items, would also be helpful. To help, write to USIS Pristina, American Embassy Belgrade, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20521-5070. SUPPORT NETWORK Jeanne Wisa Fike, 11286 Ashcroft Ln., St. Louis, MO 63136, would like to form a support network of those with congenital cataracts who subsequently developed glaucoma as children, or those with congenital glaucoma. For more information, write her at the above address, or call her at (314) 355-3306. DISPATCHERS Have you ever thought about working as a 911 dispatcher? Vantage Media Group is a new career/vocational development organization founded by a blind dispatcher. It believes that blind people can serve as productive, valued contributors in any public safety communication center, with appropriate training and access technology. It is offering a four-week dispatcher training class in San Antonio, Texas. Sessions are scheduled for January 5 through 30 and February 16 through March 13, 1998. While in training, students learn the basics of the communication center and the varying roles of the public safety dispatcher. The course also features interactive instruction in general, emergency 911 call- taking, and radio communication techniques. Also included are introductory classes on computer-assisted dispatch systems, regional and national law enforcement networks, and issues such as ethics, liability and stress management. Supplementary courses delve into system access solutions, tactile and electronic mapping and reasonable accommodations; workshops on resume writing, networking, legal issues and job search resources complement a 24- month student placement program. Applicants must have their high school diploma or GED; good reading, writing and oral communications skills; type 35 net words per minute; be able to use either speech output, refreshable braille or screen magnification devices; and be able to pass criminal background and/or drug screening. The total tuition cost is $3,995, which includes 160 hours certified public safety communications training, all training materials, double occupancy lodging, meals, and the placement program. Only 12 students will be accepted per session. The registration deadline for the January session is December 1; the February session deadline is January 1. For information or registration, contact Roderick Roberts toll-free at (888) 584-8753 or by fax at (210) 805-8830; e-mail vmg@world-net.net. BASEBALL Version 12 of the World Series Baseball Game and Information System is now available. It comes with 139 teams, including the 1997 pennant winners and all-star teams. There are two games and 10 information programs. Baseball action during the game is described in the words of many of the famous radio and TV announcers. The cost is $15 for new users, $5 for updates. Send your check to Harry Hollingsworth, 692 S. Sheraton Dr., Akron, OH 44319, or phone him at (330) 644-2421. TAPE TUTORIALS Hear and Know is a new service providing cassette tutorials on using computer software for blind and partially sighted computer users. Some tutorials are available in large print, braille and on disk. Programs covered are DOS, Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. There are also tutorials available covering most phases of the internet, Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, telecommunications programs, and a seminar on running your own home business. As a special introductory offer, the company will not charge for shipping or handling. For more information, contact John Harden at Hear and Know, 1741 Decree Ave., West Columbia, SC 29169; phone (803) 796- 4887, or e-mail jharden@gte.net. NEW PLAYERS Telex Communications, Inc. recently released a new product line of talking book players designed for the NLS standard. The Narrator is a cassette player designed for operation and is ideal for use by anyone. Its buttons are different sizes, identifiable by touch, and its slide controls are distinct. The Tutor is a handheld player/recorder designed with the customer in mind. The Narrator costs $99.95; the Tutor costs $129. For ordering information, contact Telex at (800) 828-6107, extension 498 or 403. MasterCard and Visa are accepted. MAILING ITEMS Peggy Walsh's mailing items business will not be processing orders from November 1997 through January 1998 due to health reasons and to allow time for production of a new price list. She sells back-and-forth mailers for braille, cassette and computer disks; name and address labels, free matter labels (with and without the Domestic Mail Manual reference number), and various grades of braille paper. For more information, leave her a voice mail message complete with your name, address and telephone number at (412) 683-6070, or send a braille note to Peggy Walsh, 200 Holmes Pl. #3, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-4532. CALLER ID Talking Caller ID is a shareware program that can tell you who is calling before you answer the phone. It uses a text-to-speech engine that pronounces the name and/or number received from your caller ID service. You can also record a custom greeting in your own voice for each caller that the program will speak when that person calls you. It also keeps a database of all calls received and can produce an alphabetized phone list, and can notify you on your pager of calls and voice mail received. It requires Windows 3.1 or higher, an eight-bit sound card or better, speakers or headphones, microphone and a Caller ID capable modem (or optional caller ID plug) and caller ID service from your local phone company. The shareware will run for 21 days as a limited trial version. Registration is $35; the optional caller ID plug is $25 plus $5 shipping and handling. The shareware version can be downloaded from the internet at http://www.inventiveweb.com/talkingcallerid or you can order the software by calling (800) 783-2574. You can also order or get more information by sending e-mail to norm_tanner@prodigy.net. NEW PHONE NUMBER Shadows in the Dark's new telephone number is (318) 459-2233. The company now offers gifts as well as braille pictured greeting cards. For more information, or a price list, contact the company at 4600 Pine Hill Rd., Shreveport, LA 71107-2716; e-mail PMBlind@aol.com. ***** HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP FOR SALE: Two Perkins braillers. One in good condition with hard case, $300. Second one needs work; price negotiable. Contact Frank Cuta, 58903 N. Sweetwater Rd., Benton City, WA 99320; phone (509) 967-2658. FOR SALE: Artic Transport model 611 external speech synthesizer. Includes rechargeable battery and turbopad. Asking $510 (including shipping). Contact Jim O'Neill at (215) 884-9877 or e-mail him at jamesoneill@msn.com. FOR SALE: Telesensory Braillemate 2+2 system in excellent condition. Contains most recent updates. Is covered by an extended warranty. Comes with serial connector cable and braille manuals. Also includes Screenpower for DOS, which interfaces with the Braillemate and turns it into a speech synthesizer for a DOS- based PC. $1,800 or best offer. Call Kim Morrow at (785) 864- 8001, or e-mail her at kmorrow@raven.cc.ukans.edu. WANTED: CCTV in good condition. Contact Robert Bell at (304) 424-6919. WANTED: Typewriter in good condition. Contact Jerry Hamrick, PO Box 213, Valleyhead, WV 26294-0213; phone (304) 339-6489. ***** YEAR-END LEGAL TIDBITS by Charles S.P. Hodge In January I told you about a novel decision by a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Parker v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. et al. The decision held that Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act concerning commercial facilities and public accommodations not only prohibited failure to grant physical access to such places but also forbade denial of access to the products and services marketed there. The court, however, granted a rehearing en banc of this decision, and on August 1, the sixth circuit's full bench announced its decision (see 121 F. 3d 1006). With circuit judge Cornelia G. Kennedy announcing the majority opinion for the eight-judge majority of a badly divided en banc court, the court ruled that Title III's prohibition was only intended to bar failure to grant physical access to places of public accommodation. The court also stressed that the discrimination outlawed by the ADA was that between people with disabilities as compared to people without disabilities. The court emphasized that the ADA did not mandate absolute equality of treatment between differing disabling conditions, and that in this case, the plaintiff's claim was that individuals with mental impairments were treated less well under the employer's retirement plan than individuals with physical impairments. Thus, the alleged discrimination was between two or more disabling conditions, and as such, it simply was not the sort of discrimination prohibited under the ADA. The five dissenting judges, speaking through both the dissenting opinions of circuit judges Boyce F. Martin and Gilbert Merritt, argued vehemently that the plain language of Title III did not limit its application to the failure to grant physical access to commercial structures, as held by the majority. The dissent argues that Congress was clearly interested in removing barriers for disabled people to the content of the services and products offered to the public through such places of public accommodation. The en banc court's opinion is without question a major legal setback for advocates of disability rights. The holding which restricts the applicability of Title III of the ADA only to issues of physical access to commercial facilities or public accommodations does not show the vision or ingenuity of the majority opinion of the three-judge panel. Review by the U.S. Supreme Court may be on the horizon for this case, as the plaintiff filed a petition for review with the court on November 3. The Supreme Court announced on October 6 that it was refusing to hear the case of the State of Maryland Department of Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs et al. The court's order denying review left the prior decision by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals standing, in which that court had held that an arbitration panel under the Randolph- Sheppard Act hearing the claim of a state licensing agency against a federal property management agency could declare the rights of the parties under the act but did not have any authority to grant specific remedial relief against such an agency. The court's refusal to hear this important issue constitutes a serious blow to the effective administration of the Randolph-Sheppard program among federal property management agencies. Four days later, the state of California filed its petition for a writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court, seeking the court's review of the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit's holding in Premo v. Martin. In September I reported that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had affirmed the federal trial court's ruling in favor of Jeana Martin, a former licensed blind vendor in the California program, and had ordered the state licensing agency to pay considerable monetary damages to Martin. The attorney general of California has nevertheless sought Supreme Court review, and the California state licensing agency through the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind has invited other state licensing agencies to file amicus curiae or friend of the court briefs with the court endorsing California's legal position in the case. As advocates for the Randolph-Sheppard program, we should oppose the state licensing agencies in our respective states from joining California's efforts to overturn the Ninth Circuit's decision. Now for some good news. On October 21, the United States Senate confirmed President Clinton's nomination of Richard Casey for a federal district court judgeship in the southern district of New York. Casey is totally blind and has been a member of the American Blind Lawyers Association. In 1992, then-president George Bush nominated Casey for a similar vacancy on the federal trial court bench in New York, but the Senate judiciary committee failed to take any action on his nomination. This time the Senate acted favorably. We should all heartily congratulate Judge Casey on an honor far too long overdue. Casey, I am sure, will make all blind people proud through his career on the federal bench. ***** ACB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Sue Ammeter, Seattle, WA Ardis Bazyn, Cedar Rapids, IA John Buckley, Knoxville, TN Dawn Christensen, Holland, OH Christopher Gray, San Francisco, CA John Horst, Wilkes-Barre, PA Kristal Platt, Omaha, NE M.J. Schmitt, Forest Park, IL Pamela Shaw, Philadelphia, PA Richard Villa, Austin, TX BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS Carol McCarl, Chairperson, Salem, OR Kim Charlson, Watertown, MA Thomas Mitchell, North Salt Lake City, UT Mitch Pomerantz, Los Angeles, CA Jay Doudna, Lancaster, PA Ex Officio: Laura Oftedahl, Watertown, MA ACB OFFICERS PRESIDENT PAUL EDWARDS 20330 NE 20TH CT. MIAMI, FL 33179 FIRST VICE PRESIDENT BRIAN CHARLSON 57 GRANDVIEW AVE. WATERTOWN, MA 02172 SECOND VICE PRESIDENT STEPHEN SPEICHER 825 M ST., SUITE 216 LINCOLN, NE 68508 SECRETARY CYNTHIA TOWERS 556 N. 80TH ST. SEATTLE, WA 98103 TREASURER PATRICIA BEATTIE CRYSTAL TOWERS #206 NORTH 1600 S. EADS ST. ARLINGTON, VA 22202 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT LeRoy Saunders 2118 NW 21st St. Oklahoma City, OK 73107 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR ELIZABETH M. LENNON, Kalamazoo, MI